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City of Dubai
Dubai's skyline at twilight
Dubai's skyline at twilight
Flag of City of Dubai
Flag
Map
EmirateDubai
Government
 • SheikhMohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Population
 (2006)
 • Total
1,570,779
Time zoneUTC+4
WebsiteCity of Dubai

Dubai (in Arabic: دبيّ, IPA /ðʊ'bej/, generally /dʊ'baɪ/ in English) refers to either

Dubai is the most populous and second largest emirate (in terms of size) in the United Arab Emirates after Abu Dhabi. Dubai is distinct from other members of the UAE in that revenues from oil account for only 6% of its gross domestic product. A majority of the emirate's revenues are from the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ) [1] and now, increasingly, from tourism.

With enormous construction and development in various industries, Dubai has attracted world attention through innovative real estate projects, sports events, conferences and Guinness records. However this increased attention, coinciding with its emergence as a world business hub have also highlighted potential human rights quagmires in relation to its largely immigrant workforce.

History

File:Dubaicitynasa.jpg
Dubai City as seen from space

There are records of the town of Dubai from 1799. Earlier in the 18th century the Al Abu Falasa lineage of Bani Yas clan established itself in Dubai which was a dependent of the settlement of Abu Dhabi until 1833.

On 8 January 1820, the sheikh of Dubai was a signatory to the British sponsored "General Treaty of Peace" (the General Maritime Treaty).

In 1833, the Al Maktoum dynasty of the Bani Yas tribe left the settlement of Abu Dhabi and took over the town of Dubai, "without resistance". From that point on, Dubai, a newly independent emirate, was constantly at odds with the emirate of Abu Dhabi. An attempt by the Qawasim pirates to take over Dubai was thwarted. In 1835, Dubai and the rest of the Trucial States signed a maritime truce with Britain and a "Perpetual Maritime Truce" about two decades later. Dubai came under the protection of the United Kingdom (keeping out the Ottoman Turks) by the Exclusive Agreement of 1892. Like four of its neighbours, Abu Dhabi, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Qaiwain, its position on the route to India made it an important location.

In March 1892, the Trucial States (or Trucial Oman) were created.

The rulers of Dubai fostered trade and commerce, unlike the town's neighbours. The town of Dubai was an important port of call for foreign tradesmen (chiefly Indians), who settled in the town. Until the 1930s, the town was known for its pearl exports.

After the devaluation of the Gulf Rupee in 1966, Dubai joined the newly independent state of Qatar to set up a new monetary unit, the Qatar/Dubai riyal. Oil was discovered 120 kilometres off the coast of Dubai, after which the town granted oil concessions.

On 2 December 1971 Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi and five other emirates, formed the United Arab Emirates after former protector Britain left the Persian Gulf in 1971. In 1973, Dubai joined the other emirates to adopt a single, uniform currency: the UAE dirham.

The following is a list of rulers of Dubai, going back at least to 1833.

The current ruler of Dubai is H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Like the preceding ruler, his older brother H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, he is also the Vice President and the Prime Minister of the UAE.

Demographics

File:Dubai dhow.jpg
Silhouette of a dhow in the Bur Dubai creek

Dubai is unusual in that its population is comprised mainly of expatriates, with UAE nationals (Emiratis) constituting the minority. The majority of these expatriates come from South Asia and South East Asia. A quarter of the population reportedly trace their origins to neighbouring Iran.[2]. Dubai is also home to some 100,000 British and other western expatriates. The UAE government does not allow any form of naturalization or permanent residence to expatriates. However, foreigners are permitted to purchase and own property without a local partner or sponsor.

Nearly all of the commercial establishments are run by expatriates with a silent local partner who merely "rents" the business license for a negotiated annual fee without taking part in any capital investment. The numerous free trade zones allow for full expatriate ownership.

There is an increasing number of "freehold" villas and apartments on artificial islands such as the Palm Islands and in many parts of Dubai for example The Greens, Dubai Marina, International City, etc. Ownership is either permanent or on a 99 year lease depending on which area - freehold areas were announced in the press in July 2006[3]. Ownership or lease of a completed residence allows the owner to apply for (but not guarantee) a residency visa on a 3 year renewable basis. The Federal Government does not state whether foreigners may or may not own property and has left individual emirates to formulate their own property laws.

Picture of the Marina development

Language and religion

The official language is Arabic. However, English, Hindi, Malayalam, Persian, Urdu and Tagalog are also widely spoken. Islam is the majority religion of all of the emirates. A vast majority of the locals are Sunnis, although there is a Shiite minority. There are also minority Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians as well. Dubai is the only emirate that has Hindu temples and a Sikh gurdwara.

In early 2001, ground was broken for the construction of several additional churches on a parcel of land in Jebel Ali donated by the government of Dubai for four Protestant congregations and a Roman Catholic congregation. Construction on the first Greek Orthodox Church in Dubai (to be called St. Mary's) would begin at the end of 2005, members of the Eastern Orthodox Christian community in the UAE have had to use churches of other denominations for services, until General Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Ruler and UAE Prime Minister, donated a plot of land in Jebel Ali.

Apart from donated land for the construction of churches and other religious facilities, including cemeteries, non-Muslim groups are not supported financially or subsidised by the government. However, they are permitted to raise money from among their congregants and to receive financial support from abroad. Christian churches are permitted to openly advertise church functions in the press.

Political geography

Dubai is located on the Persian Gulf, southwest of Sharjah and northeast of Abu Dhabi, and reaches into the interior. The town of Hatta is an exclave of the emirate of Dubai and borders Al Wajajah, Oman.

Dubai is divided into 9 sectors: 1-4 & 6 are urban; 7-9 are rural; 5 is Jebel Ali and Hatta is 7. Each sector is sub-divided into communities of various sizes with major (named) roads as the boundaries. Currently there are 132 communities [4]:

Community (English) Number Community (Arabic)   Community (English) Number Community (Arabic)
Abu Hail 126 أبو هيل   Al Warqa'a Fifth 425 الورقاء الخامسة
Al Awir First 711 العوير الأولى   Al Warqa'a First 421 الورقاء الأولى
Al Awir Second 721 العوير الثانية   Al Warqa'a Fourth 424 الورقاء الرابعة
Al Bada'a 333 البدع   Al Warqa'a Second 422 الورقاء الثانية
Al Baraha 122 البراحة   Al Warqa'a Third 423 الورقاء الثالثة
Al Barsha First 373 البرشاء الأولى   Al Wasl 343 الوصل
Al Barsha Second 376 البرشاء الثانية   Al Wuheida 132 الوحيدة
Al Barsha South First 671 البرشاء جنوب الاولى   Aleyas 283 العياص
Al Barsha South Second 672 البرشاء جنوب الثانية   Ayal Nasir 116 عيال ناصر
Al Barsha South Third 673 البرشاء جنوب الثالثة   Bu Kadra 611 بو كدرة
Al Barsha Third 375 البرشاء الثالثة   Corniche Deira 121 كورنيش ديرة
Al Buteen 114 البطين   Dubai International Airport 221 مطار دبي الدولي
Al Daghaya 113 الضغاية   Dubai Investment Park First 598 مجمع دبي للاستثمار الأول
Al Garhoud 214 القرهود   Dubai Investment Park Second 597 مجمع دبي للاستثمار الثاني
Al Guoz Fourth 359 القوز الرابعة   Emirates Hill First 393 تلال الإمارات الأولى
Al Hamriya 313 الحمرية   Emirates Hill Second 388 تلال الإمارات الثانية
Al Hamriya Port 131 ميناء الحمرية   Emirates Hill Third 394 تلال الامارات الثالثة
Al Hudaiba 322 الحضيبة   Hatta 891 حتا
Al Jadaf 326 الجداف   Hor Al Anz 127 هور العنز
Al Jafiliya 323 الجافلية   Hor Al Anz East 133 هور العنز شرق
Al Karama 318 الكرامة   Jebel Ali 383 جبل علي
Al Khabaisi 128 الخبيصي   Jebel Ali 384 جبل علي
Al Khwaneej First 281 الخوانيج الأولى   Jebel Ali Industrial 599 جبل علي الصناعية
Al Khwaneej Second 282 الخوانيج الثانية   Jebel Ali Palm 50 نخلة جبل علي
Al Kifaf 324 الكفاف   Jumeira First 332 جميرا الأولى
Al Mamzar 134 الممزر   Jumeira Palm 381 نخلة جميرا
Al Manara 363 المنارة   Jumeira Second 342 جميرا الثانية
Al Merkad 347 المركاض   Jumeira Third 352 جميرا الثالثة
Al Mina 321 الميناء   Mankhool 317 منخول
Al Mizhar First 262 المزهر الأولى   Dubai Marina 392 مرسى دبي
Al Mizhar Second 263 المزهر الثانية   Mirdif 251 مردف
Al Muraqqabat 124 المرقبات   Muhaisanah Fourth 245 محيصنة الرابعة
Al Murar 117 المرر   Muhaisanah Second 264 محيصنة الثانية
Al Muteena 123 المطينة   Muhaisanah Third 244 محيصنة الثالثة
Al Nahda First 231 النهدة الأولى   Muhaisnah First 261 محيصنة الأولى
Al Nahda Second 241 النهدة الثانية   Mushrif 252 مشرف
Al Quoz First 354 القوز الاولى   Nadd Al Hamar 416 ند الحمر
Al Quoz Industrial First 364 القوز الصناعية الأولى   Nadd Al Shiba Fourth 617 ند الشبا الرابعة
Al Quoz Industrial Fourth 369 القوز الصناعية الرابعة   Nadd Al Shiba Second 615 ند الشبا الثانية
Al Quoz Industrial Second 365 القوز الصناعية الثانية   Nadd Al Shiba Third 616 ند الشبا الثالثة
Al Quoz Industrial Third 368 القوز الصناعية الثالثة   Nadd Shamma 213 ند شما
Al Quoz Second 355 القوز الثانية   Naif 118 نايف
Al Quoz Third 358 القوز الثالثة   Oud Al Muteena First 265 عود المطينة الأولى
Al Qusais First 232 القصيص الأولى   Oud Al Muteena Second 266 عود المطينة الثانية
Al Qusais Industrial Fifth 248 القصيص الصناعية الخامسة   Oud Metha 319 عود ميثاء
Al Qusais Industrial First 242 القصيص الصناعية الأولى   Port Saeed 129 بور سعيد
Al Qusais Industrial Fourth 247 القصيص الصناعية الرابعة   Ranches 600 مرابع
Al Qusais Industrial Second 243 القصيص الصناعية الثانية   Ras Al Khor 411 رأس الخور
Al Qusais Industrial Third 246 القصيص الصناعية الثالثة   Ras Al Khor Industrial First 612 رأس الخور الصناعية الأولى
Al Qusais Second 233 القصيص الثانية   Ras Al Khor Industrial Second 613 رأس الخور الصناعية الثانية
Al Qusais Third 234 القصيص الثالثة   Ras Al Khor Industrial Third 614 رأس الخور الصناعية الثالثة
Al Raffa 316 الرفاعة   Riggat Al Buteen 125 رقة البطين
Al Ras 112 الراس   Trade Center First 335 المركز التجاري الأولى
Al Rashidiya 216 الراشدية   Trade Center Second 336 المركز التجاري الثانية
Al Rigga 119 الرقة   Umm Al Sheif 367 أم الشيف
Al Sabkha 115 السبخة   Umm Hurair First 314 أم هرير الأولى
Al Safa First 353 الصفا الأولى   Umm Hurair Second 315 أم هرير الثانية
Al Safa Second 357 الصفا الثانية   Umm Ramool 215 أم رمول
Al Safouh First 372 الصفوح الأولى   Umm Suqeim First 356 أم سقيم الأولى
Al Safouh Second 382 الصفوح الثانية   Umm Suqeim Second 362 أم سقيم الثانية
Al Satwa 334 السطوة   Umm Suqeim Third 366 أم سقيم الثالثة
Al Shindagha 311 الشندغة   Wadi Alamardi 271 وادي العمردي
Al Souq Al Kabeer 312 السوق الكبير   Warsan First 621 ورسان الاولى
Al Twar First 226 الطوار الأولى   Warsan Second 622 ورسان الثانية
Al Twar Second 227 الطوار الثانية   Za'abeel First 325 زعبيل الأولى
Al Twar Third 228 الطوار الثالثة   Za'abeel Second 337 زعبيل الثانية

Within these communities are numbered streets and house/building numbers. In general, even numbered streets run parallel to the coast and increase in number as one goes inland. Odd numbered street are perpendicular to the coast and increase as one moves away from the creek. Note that these progressions are repeated within each community so, for example there will be numerous street number 5 along the Jumeirah 1, 2, 3, and Umm Suqeim 'strip'.

Economy

Oil reserves in Dubai are less than one-twentieth that of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and oil income is now only a small proportion of the emirate's income.

Dubai and its twin across the Dubai creek, Deira (independent at that time), became important ports of call for Western manufacturers. Most of the new city's banking and financial centres were headquartered in the port area. Dubai maintained its importance as a trade route through the 1970s and 1980s. The city of Dubai has a free trade in gold and until the 1990s was the hub of a "brisk smuggling trade" of gold ingots to India, where gold import was restricted.

Today, Dubai is an important tourist destination and port (Jebel Ali, constructed in the 1970s, has the largest man-made harbour in the world), but also increasingly developing as a hub for service industries such as IT and finance, with the new Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Transport links are bolstered by its rapidly-expanding Emirates Airline, founded by the government in 1985 and still state-owned; based at Dubai International Airport, it carried over 12 million passengers in fiscal year 2005.

The government has set up industry-specific free zones throughout the city. Dubai Internet City, now combined with Dubai Media City as part of TECOM (Dubai Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority) is one such enclave whose members include IT firms such as EMC Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Microsoft, and IBM, and media organisations such as MBC, CNN, Reuters, ARY and AP. Dubai Knowledge Village (KV) is an education and training hub is also set up to complement the Free Zone’s other two clusters, Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City, by providing the facilities to train the clusters' future knowledge workers. Internet access is restricted in most areas of Dubai with a proxy server filtering out sites deemed to be against cultural and religious values of the UAE - this includes any .il (Israeli) domains. However, areas served by TECOM (an internet service provider) are currently not filtered.

Real estate and property

The Jumeirah Palm island.

The government's decision to diversify from a trade-based but oil-reliant economy to one that is service- and tourism-oriented has made real estate more valuable, resulting in the property boom from 2004-2006. Construction on a large scale has made Dubai to be known as one of the fastest growing cities in the world, only equalled by the large Chinese cities.

The property boom is largely driven by mega-projects, whether off-shore such as The Palm and The World or inland such as Dubai Marina, the Burj Dubai Complex, Business Bay and Dubailand, headed by major players in the real estate sector of the larger Middle East namely Emaar Properties, Al Nakheel and Dubai Properties.

Skyscrapers along Sheikh Zayed Road

The aspirations of the ruling sheikh are reflected by the ultra-modern architecture of the city; home to iconic skyscrapers such as Emirates Towers, which are the 12th and 24th tallest buildings in the world [5], and the Burj al-Arab located on its very own island in the Persian Gulf and currently the tallest hotel in the world.

Emaar Properties is currently constructing what will become the world's tallest structure, the Burj Dubai. The final height of the skyscraper is a closely guarded secret - an indication of the developer's resolve to attain the title of the world's tallest building and its intention to hold on to it for as long as possible - but estimates so far point to a height upwards of 810m. Burj Dubai is expected to be completed in 2008. Burj Dubai's neighbour is another behemoth under construction: the world's largest shopping mall - the Dubai Mall.

Also under construction is what is planned to become Dubai's new Central Business District, named Business Bay. The project, when completed, will feature a phenomenal 500 skyscrapers built around an artificial extension of the existing Dubai Creek.

In February 2005, the construction of Dubai Waterfront was announced [5], it will be 2½ times the size of Washington D.C., roughly seven times the size of the island of Manhattan. Dubai Waterfront will be a mix of canals and islands full of hotels and residential areas that will add 500 miles of man-made waterfront. It will also contain Al Burj, another one of the tallest buildings in the world.

Dubai has also launched Dubiotech. This is a new park to be targeted at Biotech companies working in pharma, medical fields, genetic research and even biodefense. The aim of this park is to foster the growth of this sector in Dubai and to utilize the region's talent in addressing this rapidly growing sector.

The International Media Production Zone is a project targeted at creating a hub for printers, publishers, media production companies, and related industry segments. This project was launched in 2003 and is estimated to be completed by 2006.

A new project was announced on May 1 2006 by the authorities. It is named Bawadi and will consist of a 27 billion US-dollar investment intended to increase Dubai's number of hotel rooms by 29,000, doubling it from the current figure offers now. The largest complex will be called Asia, Asia and will be the largest hotel in the world with more than 6,500 rooms.

The first villa freehold properties that were occupied by non-UAE nationals were The Meadows, The Springs, and The Lakes (high-end neighbourhoods designed by Emaar Properties, collectively called Emirates Hills).

Expatriates of various nationalities have been pouring capital into Dubai in the past several years, greatly contributing to the city's prosperity. Iranian expatriates alone are estimated to have invested up to US-$ 200 Billion in Dubai.[citation needed]

Dubai interests have also purchased large amounts of real estate in foreign countries, in particular snapping up trophy properties in global centers like New York and London; a typical purchase in 2005 was New York's 230 Park Avenue (formerly known as the New York Central Building or the Helmsley Building) and Essex House on Central Park South.

See the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing's list of developments [1] in Dubai for more information.

File:DSC00569 (Half-Res).jpg
Cranes dominate the sky over Dubai.

Construction

Since 2000, Dubai's municipality has initiated a plethora of construction phases and plans across the entire city of Dubai, predominantly in the Mina Seyahi area, located further from Jumeirah, towards Jebel Ali. In many areas, it is not easy to see Dubai's sky without at least one crane in your view; Industry experts cautiously estimate that 15% to 25% of the world's cranes are in Dubai[6]. Construction in Dubai and the UAE in general is a much faster process than in any Western country. This is partly because labourers from the Indian subcontinent accept lower wages than those from other countries.

One of the main reasons for the boom in construction in Dubai is its drive to diversify the economy. The Dubai government does not want to depend on its oil reserves which are largely believed to become exhausted by 2010 and, as such, has diversified its economy to attract revenues in the form of expanding commercial and corporate activity. Tourism is also being promoted at a staggering rate with the construction of Dubailand and other projects that include the making of mammoth shopping malls, theme parks, resorts, stadiums and various other tourist attractions.

One of the other reasons for the boom in construction is the recent reversal of a law in 2002 that allows non-nationals of the UAE to own property (not land) in Dubai (albeit freehold and 99 year leases are actually sold to people with ownership still remaining with private companies). The larger of the property tycoons are Al Nakheel and Emaar Properties. In Dubai, demand is currently outstripping supply by a significant margin and is showing no signs of slowing in the near future. Rents have also skyrocketed with the recent inflow of professionals and companies from around the world who are attracted by Dubai's no-tax benefits although rises have been capped to 15% per annum up to 2006 under a directive from Sheikh Mohammad. Legislation in this area is still developing as the property market for foreigners is relatively new.

Human rights and labour

The massive construction projects currently in Dubai have required more construction workers than there are citizens of the city (note: over 80% of Dubai's population consists of expatriates/non-citizens). This has led to massive importation of low-wage workers, mostly from India and Pakistan. [7] Most of these workers are forced to give up their passports upon entering Dubai, making it very difficult to return home. NPR reports that workers "typically live eight to a room, sending home a portion of their salary to their families, whom they don't see for years at a time." Others report that their salary has been withheld to pay back loans, making them little more than indentured servants. [8] The BBC has reported that "local newspapers often carry stories of construction workers allegedly not being paid for months on end. They are not allowed to move jobs and if they leave the country to go home they will almost certainly lose the money they say they are owed. The names of the construction companies concerned are not published in the newspapers for fear of offending the often powerful individuals who own them." [9].

In December 2005, the Indian consulate in Dubai submitted a report to the Government of India detailing labour problems faced by Indian expatriates in the emirate. The report highlighted delayed payment of wages, substitution of employment contracts, premature termination of services and excessive working hours as being some of the challenges faced by Indian workers in the city. [10]

On 21 March 2006, tensions boiled over at the construction site of the Burj Dubai as workers upset over low wages and poor working conditions rioted, damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction tools. A Dubai Interior Ministry official said the rioters caused approximately one million U.S. dollars in damage. On March 22 most workers returned to work but refused to work. The work stoppage also caused workers building a new terminal at Dubai International Airport to strike. [11]

The alleged labour injustices in Dubai have attracted the attention of various Human Rights groups. Mafi Wasta, for example, is a website created specifically for the purpose of persuading the government of the UAE to sign up to 2 of the ILO's (International Labour Organization) 7 core conventions - namely 87 and 98 - which allows for labour unions. The site lists examples of human rights violations in the country. Human Rights Watch said that the men were treated "less than human".

However, the UAE government has denied any kind of labour injustices and has stated that the watchdog's (Human Rights Watch) accusations were misguided [12]. Towards the end of March 2006, the government announced steps to allow construction unions. UAE labour minister Ali al-Kaabi said: "Labourers will be allowed to form unions."

Prostitution, though illegal by law, is conspicuously present in the emirate because of an economy that is largely based on tourism and trade. There is a high demand for women from Eastern Europe. According to the World Sex Guide, a website catering to sex tourists, Russian and Ethiopian women are the most common prostitutes, while Indian prostitutes are part of a well organized trans-Oceanic prostitution network. [13].

Transport

Roads

Dubai has a fairly large bus system run by the Roads & Transport Authority. The bus system has 59 unique routes on weekdays and transports over 200,000 people each week. Although the Public Transport bus system is large it is not large enough to accommodate the volume of people who would like to use it. The system has come under increasing criticism because of lack of capacity. The government has issued plastic, swipable "e-go" cards. There are also several discounts and period pass options available. Unfortunately though, the bus network is used extensively by lower income groups and does not do enough to attract higher income earners who would do well to use the bus transport system and ease traffic congestion that has recently become a major problem in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. Traffic congestion has come about mainly due to lack of foresight on the recent rapid population increase, the relative ease of credit facilities for obtaining a car and the convoluted road networks that are constantly being changed, improved or reconstructed. Furthermore, Dubai has developed a reputation for having the most deaths and road accidents in the developed world clocking in with a statistic of having a minor road accident at least every 3 minutes. Due to the frequency of such incidents, road networks are blocked and held up quite frequently.

Dubai also has an extensive taxi system, by far the most frequently used means of public transport within the emirate. There are both government-operated and private cab companies. The Dubai Transport Corporation operates cream-coloured taxis. Some of the private cab companies are Cars Taxi, National Taxi, Cititaxi and Metro Taxi. Prices are reasonable (the meter begins as Dhs. 3, which is approximately 50pence, or 1 USD), and are charged by distance, although if the cab stops for more than 1 minute, 1/2 a Dirham will be added to the meter. Taxi drivers will usually try to avert this happening in traffic queues by moving slightly forward every 30 seconds or so. Cabs can be found anywhere, any time although difficulties may be experienced during large events.

Trains

There is currently a $3.89 billion Dubai Metro project under construction for the emirate. The Metro system is expected to be partially operational by 2009 and fully operational by 2012. The construction contract for the project was given to Dubai Rapid Link (DURL) [14], a consortium lead by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Also involved are two other Japanese corporations, Obayashi and Kajima, and a Turkish company, Yapi Merkezi. The metro will comprise two lines: the Green Line from Rashidiya to the main city center and the Red Line from the airport to Jebel Ali. The Dubai Metro (Green and Blue Lines) will have 70 kilometres of track and 43 stations, 33 above ground and ten underground. Trains are expected to run every 90 seconds when the project is completed. Recently, the Blue Line connecting Dubai International Airport to the new Jebel Ali Port and Dubai World Central International Airport was announced. The route will run 47 km through Dubailand, but the exact number of stations is unknown. Dubai is building this train system to ease congestion on its road network and to meet the transportation demands of its growing population. Seven monorails are also slated to be constructed to help feed the Metro system, connecting various places such as Dubailand, Palm Jumeirah, et al, to the main track.

A water taxi in Dubai.

=== Water travels

Dubai is serviced by several commercial ports and Dubai Creek is still used by local traders in Dhows:

One of the more traditional methods of getting across Bur Dubai to Deira is through abras, small boats that ferry passengers across the Dubai creek, between abra stations in Bastakiya and Bani Yas Road, for a nominal charge of 50 fils (1/2 AED).

Postal system

In parts what is being dubbed as "New Dubai," or 'some' parts of Dubai that range west from Sheikh Zayed Road to Jebel Ali Free Zone, the formal addressing system is: sector number, community number, street number and building number. In common practice, an address consists of: street number, building number and community name although the order may vary. For example:

Street 1a, Villa 2
 Umm Suqeim 3
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

In older parts of Dubai (Deira, Bur Dubai), or what comprises Dubai City and the newer commercial/business area of Dubai, street or sector addresses, historically, tend not be used; however, use of the official street map will show that all sectors and thoroughfares have been designated.. Location tends to be identified via building name and a landmark, which may very well mean that a person not familiar with or new to Dubai may be unable to find his/her destination. For example:

Suite 803, City Tower 2
 Opposite Emirates Hotel
Sheikh Zayed Road
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The UAE post is delivered to post office boxes. There is no home delivery.

History of the postal system

A post office of British India was opened August 19, 1909. It used the stamps of India on mail, with postmark "Dubai Persian Gulf", until India's independence in 1947, then stamps of Pakistan until March 31, 1948. When Pakistan came into existence, the British government set up a postal administration for Eastern Arabia and used overprinted British stamps until January 7, 1961, when Dubai issued its own stamps inscribed "Trucial States". Despite the name, these were only on sale in Dubai's post office.

The Dubai Post Department took over the postal service on June 14, 1963 and the following day issued a series of stamps depicting sea life, views of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This was the opening salvo of a barrage of stamp issues over the next few years. The emirate discovered that stamp collectors were willing to give it money for colored labels with "Dubai" printed on them, and by the time the postal system was merged with those of other emirates in mid-1972, it had issued over 400 stamps, few of which ever saw usage on mail.

Education

English is the medium of instruction in most schools in Dubai. Annual fees for nursery and pre-school vary greatly.

Some primary schools conduct entrance tests. Most schools cater to one or more expatriate communities. Our Own English High School, the Dubai Modern High School, and the Indian High School offer either a CBSE or an ICSE Indian syllabus. Dubai English Speaking School, Jumeirah Primary School, Jebel Ali Primary School, Jumeirah English Speaking School, King's School and the Horizon School all offer British primary education up to the age of eleven. Dubai College, English College, and Jumeirah College are all British eleven-to-eighteen secondary schools which offer GCSE and A-Levels. St. Mary's Catholic High School offers the British curriculum GSCE and A-Level programmes to the Dubai community. The Emirates International School, Wellington School and Cambridge International High School are also secondary schools that offer a combination of GCSE, IGCSE, and IB courses to the expatriate community. Cambridge International and St. Mary's are popular choices for the Indian expat community. The International School of Choueifat and Emirates International School offer both British and American curricula. Dubai English Speaking School and Jumeirah English Speaking School are the number one primary schools of choice for many expats, with Dubai College leading the list of secondary schools.

A growing number of K-12 schools offer the American syllabus. The American School of Dubai (ASD), which is located in Jumeirah, and Dubai American Academy (DAA) in Al Barsha have been around the longest. ASD offers an accredited American high school diploma; DAA offers both an American-accredited high school diploma and the International Baccalaureate [IB] diploma. There are also some primary and high schools that offer Canadian and Japanese syllabi.

Many expatriates tend to send their children back to their home country or to western countries for university education. However, a sizable number of foreign accredited universities have been set up in the city over the last ten years. Some of these universities include the American University in Dubai (AUD), The American College of Dubai, Al Ghurair University, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Middlesex University, Dubai, the Higher Colleges of Technology (Dubai Women's College and Dubai Men's College campuses,University of Wollongong in Dubai, Dublin's Dubai business school, European University College Brussels, Dubai, Mahatma Gandhi University, MANIPAL Academy of higher education, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology, British University of Dubai, SP Jain Center Of Management; part of India's reputed Business School SP Jain Institute of Management & Research and Zayed University.

Entertainment and sport

Dune bashing in the desert surrounding Dubai is a popular attraction for visiting tourists.

The annual month-long Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) draws shoppers from the Indian subcontinent and around the world. Attendance at the 2005 Festival topped 3.3 million visitors. Other, smaller shopping festivals, such as "Dubai Summer Surprises" are held throughout the year.

The city has many malls such as Mall of the Emirates, City Centre, Lamcy Plaza, Al Ghurair City, Mercato Mall, Oasis Centre and Wafi Centre that have international stores, theaters, gaming arcades, and food courts. The Oasis Centre caught fire and received major damage on 9 September 2005. Two more shopping malls have recently opened, the Mall of Emirates, one of the largest malls in the world, which also has the world's third largest indoor ski slope, and the Ibn Battuta Mall. Soon to overtake the Mall of Emirates as the world's largest will be the Dubai Mall, part of the Burj Dubai development that will be home to the tallest building in the world when completed.

Dubai currently has two waterparks in Wonderland and Wild Wadi with more being planned for Dubailand. Dubailand, an entertainment city vaguely planned off the concept of Disneyland was launched in October 2003. Through subsequent revisions, the master planned development will span over 3 billion square feet (300,000,000 m²) with the 1st phase to be completed in 2008. [2]

A large population of Chinese, Indian, Egyptian, Russian and East European prostitutes work in Dubai, spurred on by the large amount of tourism.

Besides the obvious presence of prostitutes, however, Dubai also has a lively and well-known nightlife, with many state-of-the-art nightclubs and bars being strewed in all areas of the Emirate, mainly joined to hotels (properties not adjoined to hotels, residences, or not serving as a licenced social club, are not allowed to serve alcohol). Despite the relatively early closing time of 3am for these clubs, their trade is brisk.

Dubai hosts many world class sporting events, including the Dubai Tennis Championships, Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament, and the Dubai World Cup, an annual horse racing event. The World Cup offers the world's largest graded stakes race purse with over US $15 million worth of prize money handed out.

Dubai is fast gaining its name as an international venue for sporting activities. The International Cricket Council selected Dubai as its new headquarters, leaving behind its home for 95 years, Lord's.

Rugby is quickly becoming a popular sport as is netball, Dubai hosts an annual Rugby Sevens tournament which is incredibly popular with the rugby playing nations.

Cultural and Artistic Developments

Dubai is quickly aspiring to enrich its cultural scene with the $13.6 billion development of the Dubai Cultural Village. This development will include art museums and performing arts centers as well as libraries, schools for music and dance, rare book stores and open spaces for recreation.

  • Dubai has a growing number of stages including the Royal Hall at the Dubai Pearl, the Stage on the Sea at the underwater Hydropolis and the Dubai Community Theatre. The Madinat Theatre is also one of the most significant and luxurious theaters in the region, hosting many West-End productions with booked seasons.
  • The Dubai film festival is an annual film festival that attracts the stars from all over the world. Dubai is also developing the Dubai Studio City which aims to be a center for artistic production on the screen.
  • Dubai is currently building an island opera house which has been designed by Zaha Hadid.
  • An art museum and a general museum are currently being built.


Twinning

Dubai maintains cultural, economic and educational ties with:

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